Postpartum Pelvic Floor: Dispelling Common Myths for a Healthy Recovery

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / By Becca | Pelvic Floor Momma

How often have you heard that after having a baby you just need to do kegels? The lack of information and help that women have postpartum is severely lacking. So let me tell you a tip, kegels aren’t the answer immediately postpartum. Your body is healing and your muscles need some rest and care before trying to strengthen them with kegels. 

Here’s what you can start doing, diaphragmatic breathing. Regaining coordination following birth is essential to progress back to your everyday and recreational activity. Diaphragmatic breathing can be performed seated or standing. 

Once you are comfortable with diaphragmatic breathing you can add in a transverse abdominal contraction or a deep core contraction. This is a diaphragmatic breath with a core contraction. This might be easiest to do in a hookyling position to start until you regain coordination. When you feel comfortable with a TA contraction then begin to perform this with all activity.

What does that mean?

When you stand up from the couch, exhale as you stand and activate your TA. When you pick up your baby, car seat, diaper bag, etc. exhale as you lift and activate your TA. This helps support your back and pelvic floor. 

These movements are the foundation for returning to activity and regaining your strength. You don’t want to perform kegels right away because your pelvic floor just went through a traumatic event. Following birth, your pelvic floor is likely in a hypertonic state which means they are in a constant state of contraction. (This is often why postpartum moms complain of pain with intercourse following birth). When performing kegels during this state your pelvic floor is not appropriately engaging because it cannot fully relax. A muscle that cannot fully relax is not properly contracting. 

Working on pelvic floor relaxation is extremely beneficial during this time. Performing diaphragmatic breathing is a great way to encourage relaxation. And this is how postpartum healing comes full circle! So here is to a happy healing and the start of your postpartum journey.